Here’s a beautiful, fun and delicious cocktail snack that’s simple to make. We think of it as a deconstructed Bloody Mary; others call it “drunken tomatoes.” It helps if you have a jumbo martini glass, but a small pedestal bowl works nicely, too. Fill the glass with red and yellow cherry or grape tomatoes; add a quality vodka to just cover the tomatoes. You can snip in some fresh (not dried!) oregano or rosemary as a pretty herbal accent. Provide attractive toothpicks in a shot glass or other holder, so guests can spear the tomatoes, and a small bowl for discarded picks. This one is always a cocktail party hit!
Award-winning dessert lasagna by Chef Michael Stambaugh. Photo and recipe courtesy of the National Pasta Association.
November is National Pasta Month—a holiday we’d like to celebrate with a different delicious pasta dish every day. While most of us have tried the many different types of pasta, from long cuts (fettuccine) and short cuts (penne) to stuffed pasta (ravioli) and casseroles (lasagne), who has had dessert pasta? But we’re about to change that!
Treat your friends and family to the dessert lasagne in the photo plus 12 other dessert pasta recipes. (Lasagne is the correct Italian spelling—lasagna is the Americanized word.)
See our Pasta Glossary for all the different types of pasta.
Visit our Pasta Section for recipes, how to pair pastas and sauces, the history of pasta and much more.
It’s Moldy Cheese Day—yes, it’s an officially declared food holiday—so it’s time for a little mold education. If a blue mold develops on your cheese, that’s good and natural (think blue cheese). You can eat it; or if you aren’t into blue, scrape it off and enjoy the rest of the cheese. Red or black mold, however, indicates a cheese that’s past its prime. Cut it away. The rest of the cheese is still fine, though.
Celebrate Moldy Cheese Day with some delicious blue cheese: in an omelet, in your salad (crumbled into the salad or into the dressing), on your burger or steak, on a sandwich, or for dessert with a glass of sweet dessert wine.
Today is National Fluffernutter Day, which honors the classic peanut butter and marshmallow creme sandwich. The original Marshmallow Fluff was introduced more than 75 years ago and is still made by Durkee-Mower Inc. But gourmet marshmallow cremes can be had. Our favorite, Tiny Trapeze Marshmallow Creme from Whole Foods Markets, is a must! For a special fluffernutter sandwich, cut thick slices of challah, spread with crunchy peanut butter and marshmallow creme and toast in a panini press. For a fancier fluffernutter, use slices of banana bread, or plain bread with P.B. Loco’s Jungle Banana peanut butter. For sheer opulence, use chocolate pound cake as the bread.
